Clasp



(No Model.)

J. J. UNBEHEND.

SPRING GLASP.

Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

I 1 J2 pF-bamaaa m 7 M555 5 N. PETERS. FholoLilhogl-apher. wmhin m. 0.04

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB J. UNBEHEND, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

SPRING-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,769, dated February 23, 1886.

Application filed May26,1885. Serial No. 166,704. (No model.) Patented in England September 15, 1885, No.10,939; in France Stpfcmber 15, 1885, No. 171,189, and in Canada December 15, 1885, No. 22,985.

.To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JACOB J. UNBEHEND, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-Olasps,of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,is a full, clear,and exact description.

This invention relates to that class of clasps in which a tongue is hinged on an attachingplate, and held in its closed position by a spring restraining the movement of the tongue; and the invention has particular reference to the clasp described in the Patent noeoano, granted to me on the 16th day of September, 1884.

My present invention consists in an improved construction of the component parts of the clasp, whereby the same is rendered more efficient and more durable in its operation.

Referring to the annexed drawings, Figure I is a top plan view of my improved clasp interlocked with the transversely-slotted plate. Fig. II is an edge view of the same with the slotted plate shown in dotted lines. Fig. III is a plan view ofthe clasp in its open position. Fig. IV is a longitudinal section on line 00 m, Fig. III. Fig. V is a longitudinal section through the center of the clasp with the tongue swung part way toward its open position.

Fig. VI is a detached edge view of the tongue. Fig. VII is a plan view of the blank from which the tongue is formed, and Fig. VIII is a longitudinal section of a clasp embodying modifications of my invention;

Like letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.

A represents the transversely-slotted plate, which is to be secured to one of the flaps or straps of the articleto which the clasp is to be applied.

B B are two plates,which lie closely one upon the other, and may be either formed in one piece folded back upon itself, or consistofseparate pieces connected together at one end by a hollow rivet, r, headed or clinched upon opposite sides of the combined plates, as illustrated in Figs. II, III, IV, and V of the drawings.

plate.

The opposite or forward ends of the plates'are provided with forward extensions a a,forming between them an opening, 0, for the reception of the strap to which the clasp is to be attached, said attachment being effected by passing the strap through the opening 0, then folding it back upon the plates and upon itself back of said plates, and sewing or cementing the twofold portion of the strap together.

illustration thereof in the drawings is deemed unnecessary. r

The extensions or a of the plates B B, I provide on their adjacent sides with recesses or depressions b b, which extend only part way across the extensions, so as to allow the outer side edges of the plates to lie contiguous one upon the other. This Ihave found necessary,in order to prevent the japan from entering the joint between the plates during the process of japanning the clasp, which is one of the difficulties encountered in the manufacture of other clasps of this class. V

The extensions a a of one of the plates B B, preferably the upper of said plates, terminate with lips n n, which project downward and across the ends of the extensions of the other These lips form guards to prevent the cross-bars of the slotted plate A from entering between the extensions (in a in the operation of drawing said plate over onto the plates B B by the tongue T, which is made to interlock with the slotted plate by passing it through one of the slots thereof and then swinging it back upon the plates B B, as illustrated in Figs. I and II of the drawings.

The tongue is connected to the plates B B by twofold pivots or pintles c c, which I form 011 the tongue by providing the blank with two lateral projections, c a, on each of its two side edges, as shown in Fig. VII of the drawings, which blank I fold back upon itself transversely between the projections c 0, so as to bring them to lie closely one upon the other, as shown in Fig. VI of the drawings. These twofold pintles are flattened or angular in cross-section, and are of proper length to enter the recesses I) b, which are of a corresponding form and size, so that the plates B B lie normally contiguous to each other when the tongue is in its closed position or extreme open position.

In swinging the tongue out of said positions the flattened or angular pivots c c pry the plates B B apart at their forward ends, and the resistance of said plates imparts the spring action to the clasp in a manner similar to that of the clasp shown in my prior patent, hereinbefore referred to. In my present invention, however, I re-enforce the pivot or pintle by a supplemental pintle, which is firmly united with and lies contiguous to the main pintle, thus rendering the clasp more durable.

It is obvious that the aforesaid re-enforcement can be obtained by a single enlarged pintle, leaving the tongue as thin and light as compatible with its functions; hence I do not limit my invention to the twofold pintle. Neither do I wish to confine my invention to the location of the depressions b b in both plates B B, inasmuch as said depressions may be made wholly in either the upper or lower plate, as represented in Fig. VIII of the drawings.

' Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a clasp, the tongue connected to its supporting-plate by a pintle, re enforced sub stantially as described, whereby an increased thickness is secured, as set forth.

2. In combination with the tongue and its angular or flattened pivot, two plates connected together at one end and provided with forward extensions 0: a at the opposite end, and having in the adjacent sides of said extensions recesses or depressions b b, for the reception of the pivot, extending only part way across the extensions, to bring the side portions of the two plates to lie normally contiguous to each other, substantially as described and shown.

3. In combination with the tongueand its pintle, two plates connected together at one end and having forward extensions provided in their adjacent sides with depressions b b, for the reception of the pintle, extending only part way across the extensions, substantially as described'and shown.

4. The combination of the tongue provided with the twofold pivot c 0,and the plates B B, connected together at one end and provided with the forward extensions a a at the opposite end, and each having in the adjacent sides of said extensions recesses of a depth equal to the thickness of one-half of the twofold pivot,

and extending only part way across the extensions, substantially as described and shown.

5. In combination with the tongue and pintle connected therewith, and flattened or angular in crosssection, the plates B B, provided with extensions a a and with recesses 12 b in said extensions, and one of said plates provided 

